Avery's activist project . . .and beyond

After numerous meetings with Zoe from Africa Unite, after hour-long commuting to Nynaga every Friday, after being greeted by swarms of kids on some days and greeted only by stragglers and the few who could make it to practice on others- somehow we managed to pull off a spectacular talent show.

Even as I say spectacular I have to smile because it was far from what I had planned As it unfolded I could only watch, attempt to make last minute interferences backstage, and sweat as I looked on at my kids dancing, singing and acting for their community. The community also came up and did their pieces- traditional dance, hip hop dance, and a few skits that perhaps should have been censored for such an event but went unchecked and drew forth a powerful performance on stage.  Putting on this show was a lot like trying to heave a ton of bricks up to a third story window- there were plenty of challenges, luckily the rope I was using was long, and many hands helped to heave until it became what it was- simply spectacular.

As proud as I am though, I must admit that I had some issues seeing how this project had actually helped to make any contribution at all. It seemed like a drop in the ocean, a feel good for me, a tourist on a trip trying to get some good pictures. I am still slightly guilt ridden- because of the shortage of time that they actually had to learn what we had to teach, for the language barrier that I could do little to leap over myself and had to rely on their translations, and for the unsustainability of the project. My main concern was who would continue this when we left? Who will make it their initiative to provide a dynamic afterschool program for these kids that empowers them to explore their own creativity and talents rather than stand on the corner sliding down a slippery slope into gang life and drugs.

These are still my concerns- my worry grows for them because I don’t have those answers- I have run out of time to consider them while still in Africa but to be sure their faces are fresh in my mind and those issues burning in my brain. Some thing needs to be done. I plan on going home and starting a new club at UConn that will work with one of the surrounding schools that is struggling to win the competition with gangs. The new intiative that I have decided on is sustainable mentoring- Morgan has added that it might be valuable to have an underlying cause for anti-bullying and rape victim blaming. UConn students will be trained with the first half of the semester on how to be a proper mentor and in the subsequent semesters we will be actually using that to train high school students how to be mentors to the younger grades. Essentially, it’s a mentor-to-a-mentor program.  ( I like the ring of that) I cannot personally really relate to exactly what kids in the middle school are going through with the peer pressure aspect and new forms of harassment that have infiltrated our schools. I can however train someone from the same community who the younger student may already be looking up to, to be the saving generation, to set an example for the younger student and perhaps be the reason why that student chooses an alternative route than seeking protection from gang life or salvation from a joint.

Looking back at Africa Acts Out, I wrote the following in my essay to Marita and honestly cannot find any better way to rewrite it.

These dang kids have broken me down in so many ways I can’t describe it even to myself but I will try to for the benefit of this paper- and maybe in years to come I will have a better idea of what exactly they’ve done to this heart of mine. I think they have stolen it. Taken it in their little hands and kept it as a pet. My mind wanders to them in my free time, my hands fiddle toward my computer to look up more activities to give to them, and always- every time I think of them I feel riddled with guilt that I haven’t lived up to an expectation. This must be what it feels like to be a parent- a sweaty and nervous relationship and sense of urgency to teach everything you know as their childhood clock ticks faster, yet also letting their young minds explore for themselves. After finishing a practice and while you are sitting on the bus back home a heavy feeling settles on your shoulders no matter how great practice was and suggests in your ears that you let someone down, that somehow you blew it. And then, you come back next week for practice again and you stand in front of them with all the energy that you’ve got. They run to hug your legs, and they smile just when they see your face bobbing up the street. Somehow all the anxiety that you felt the whole week dissolves and you feel like you are their person, that thing that they have been waiting to see all day. I can’t describe how special that makes me feel. I am honored to be someone’s person.

Avery introduces the program

These kids need someone to expect them to be more. Many of them come to practice every week in the same clothing that they had on a week before, and even more of them come with empty stomachs. So, yes- I want them to be there so that we can get them snack. I want them to be there so they can feel accepted and build a community with other students who have an interest in productive expressions rather than be out on corners starting the initiation process to gang life. Yes, I love them. I have found that loving someone is among the most enjoyable hardships of life and the struggles that we have worked with this semester- from lack of communication, unsure transportation methods, and all of the chairs being stolen from the site we practice-have done nothing to break down this experience, on the contrary they have given it the particular slow-cooked and zesty flavor that I will always associate fondly with South Africa.

Once you have turned your attention to a problem how can you ever disregard it again? I believe that the entire purpose of this trip has not been for us to come in and change South Africa- rather to observe ourselves within it and realize what can be done with that.  I think what we were supposed to take away from this activist project was not that we effected some great change- rather that it has changed us, perhaps forever. I now see that with some determination and energy you can raise projects from where there were previously none. That with a team of fellow devoted individuals you can broaden horizons of many while also impressing yourself with the extent of talents you didn’t know you had.

It is with deepest pleasure and honor that I welcomed an audience on Saturday afternoon to the first ever Africa Acts Out Showcase Extravaganza. I hoped that they enjoyed the show as much as I had enjoyed putting it all together. I am so proud of all the contributions that everyone in the group has made to make this the success that it has been. We may be an insane group of mentors, but I strongly believe that behind every big event is a decent helping of insanity and a whole lot of hope.

Brianna, Vara, Tekowa, Lindsay, Janiel, Jerard, Avery & Larissa

My sincere thanks to

Larissa for being an awesome dance instructor and inspiring her students with the perfect combination of poise and a vivacious attitude, for caring so deeply about their well being as well as their enjoyment, for being my right wing woman throughout the planning process, and above all her sincere desire to inspire her own passion for dance in the young girls.

Jerard for being so good natured about the decision to cut creative writing but nonetheless his creative addition to the acting portion and his strong patience for my nerve-wracked anxiety both during show time and in the hours before when it felt like the world around me was unsupported.  Thank you for being my support.

Jerard and Avery with their improv group

Brianna for using her voice to exhilarate the students, her rapping skills to inspire them, her love of Nikki Manaj to show them what a powerful female was capable of- and her heart, for loving those kids with every bit of it.

Brianna with her young vocalists

Tekowa for her unfailing nerve in the face of great stress and composure in tense situations that I admire deeply and need to learn from- as well as her many contributions to the show by MCing and preparing the kids for the songs they wanted to sing.

Vara, for her true desire to help, her rational personality in the face of confrontation, and a true resolve to work with Woolworths and secure the food donations without which we could not have hoped to feed the influx of hungry bellies that pushed their way in from the Township yesterday. I would like to express my sincere appreciation for her work.

Lindsay for her beautiful smile that infected crowds of children, her ability to take any task and happily accomplish it no matter how I dumped it on her yesterday, and for her contribution to song with accapella- the gift that god has given her was rewrapped for many children. 

Janiel for her vibrant and beautiful personality that could leave a room in tears from laughter, for her contributions to the Dance group and her graceful appearance on stage, as well as her deep desire to do good in this world and an intensity brought to every situation where she is presented that opportunity to do so. 

Brianna, Vara, Tekowa, Lindsay, Janiel, Jerard, Avery, and Larissa
with some of Nyanga's amazingly talent youngsters

(a story about the event are online at http://africauniteblog.wordpress.com/)